Musical instrument



27, 1942- s. RUBINSTEIN MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April2, 1941 lNV TOR ORNEY structions.

Patented Oct. 27, 1942 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Samuel Rubinstein, New York,N. Y. Application April 2,1941, seiial vo. 386,410

iCl. 84'174) 6 Claims.

. This invention relates tomusical instruments. One object of theinvention is to provide a musical instrument having improved means forconducting sound from an amplifying device and simultaneouslyautomatically enriching the same,

Another object of the invention is the provision of a musical instrumenthaving improved means whereby a series of musical strings and acooperating sound chamber or conduit coact with an independent source ofsound to greatly increase the range and variety of musical tones andovertones and the resonance qualities thereof, while avoiding orsuppressing undesired or discordant vibrations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined sound amplifieras a source of sound, and a piano in a single unitary device for:obtaining superior tonal effects with each.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthey specification proceeds. Y

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novelcombinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in theirpreferred embodiments, pointed out in the su'bjoined claims; andillustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein like parts are designatedby the same reference characters throughout'the several views.

In the drawings:

.Figure l is a view in vertical section showing a musical instrumentembodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig, 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, with parts removed, showing amodification of the invention.

The advantages of the invention as here out; lined are best realizedwhen all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one andthe same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying lessthan the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different con-The accompanying drawings, therefore, are submitted merely as showingthe preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, I denotes a musical instrumentembodying the invention. source of sound, such as a soundamplifier orloud-speaker or other device II which may comprise a vibratingdiaphragm, whether electrically or mechanically energized. Communicatingtherewith is a sound chamber or conduit l2 which tapers toward theamplifier. This communication-is established by a transverse wall orbridge l3 whereby the amplifier and chamber are interconnected inalinement with each other. Axially enclosing the chamber I2 is asecondary chamber or conduit 14, which is spaced therefrom to provide acircularly continuous passage i5, said chamber similarly tapering towardsaid amplifier and being connected to said bridge l3. Intercommunicatingthe chamber l2 with the passage l5 are a plurality of circularly spacedtriangular openings [6. At its lower end, the

member 14 rests on posts or blocks H which are mounted on a wallcomprising the laminations ,l8, l3, and resting on the feet 20. Thisarrangement'results in an opening 2|, whereby the otherwiseclosedchamber H communicates with the The same may include any suitableoutside, while the wall I8 constitutes a baffle or restriction for thechamber l2 facing the amplifier H.

Carried by the wall l8, I9 are spaced standards 22 upon whose upper endrests a wall consisting .of the laminations 23, 24, and beingsubstantially larger than the bottom wall I8, I 9. Connected to the wall23, 24 are spaced posts 25, to whose lower end is connected a. wallcon-' sisting of the laminations 26, 21. Connected to the latter arespaced posts 28, whose lower ends are connect'd to the bridge 13.Disposed on the top and sides of the sound amplifier H is a coating ofinsulation or padding material 29.

Interconnecting the laminations l8 and 24 are 4 musical string elements30 which form a circular series, and pass vertically through holes inthe wall 26, 21 as at 3|, and through the bridge I3 as at 32, thencediverge downwardly, passing through the passage l5.

It will be understood that the walls l2 and M are highly soundresponsive, and are adapted to readily vibrate and to transmit soundvibrations. The musical strings '30 may consist of wire or any othersuitable material and are adapted to operate under high tension and soas to be readily sensitive to the vibrations in the passage 15. Theoperation of the instrument ID will be more fully described hereinafter.

In Fig. 3 is shown a modified device 33 embodying the invention. Thesame may include a sound amplifier or loudspeaker 34, resting upon abridge 35, which is carried by diverging standards 36 which pass throughopenings 31 in a wall 38, and rest upon a wall consisting of laminations39, 40, II. The latter in turn, is car'- ried by an annular base 42. Thewall 38 rests upon an annular ring member 43 which is fixed to the wall39, 40, 4|. Carried by said ring member 43 is an upwardly taperedchamber or passage 44 which is open at its upper end as at 45, and isformed with a series of lateral openings 48 at opposed sides thereof.Fixed externally on the chamber 44 is an annular series of spacedbrackets 41 to which is connected the lower end of a secondary soundchamber or conduit 48 which tapers upwardly and may be of bell-shape.This chamber 48 has a top wall 49 and encloses the sound source 34 andprovides a narrow annular passage around the chamber 44. Mounted on thelamination 40 are a plurality of spaced standards 50 carrying at theirupper ends a wall consisting of thin laminations 52 with an intermediatelayer of sound insulation material 53. A baflle plate 54 is suspendedabove the wall 49 by means of spaced posts 55, while covering the top ofthe wall 49 is a layer of sound absorbent material or padding 56. It isnoted that the walls 38 and 44 are substantially thicker than that ofthe conduit 48, so as to be relatively unadapted to vibrate at thefrequency of musical sounds.

Connected to the bridge 35 at 51 is a series of musical string elements58 which diverge downwardly, passing through the passage 50, thencethrough openings 59 in the lamination 40 and through openings in thebase 42. These elements then extend at 58c under the lamination 4| andare fixed to individual posts as at 60. At the openings 59, suitablebridge pieces 51, 62 may be provided for the string elements. Anotherseries of string elements 63 extend through the passage 50, beingconnected at their ends to the bridge 35 and to the lamination 4|.

Co-operating with the string portions 58a are individual hammer means 64of any suitable character, pivotally mounted as at B5, and operative byany suitable keyboard 66 which may be pivotally mounted at 61, to thusprovide a piano.

In the device 33 all the parts are symmetrically annularly arranged,except as may be otherwise indicated. The wall 48 is vibrational incharacter. The strings 58 and 63 are responsive to sound vibrations inthe passage 50, caused by the loud speaker 34. Alternatively, theinstrument may be operated as a piano with the strings 58, 58avibrating, and the superposed sound chambers enhancing and enriching thetone.

Both of the devices I0 and 33 exemplify sound chambers or conduits onewithin the other, the inner communicating with the sound sourcedirectly, the outer indirectly or through openings in the inner chamber;both chambers tapering toward the sound source and providing a narrowpassage therebetween. In each case, the inner chamber is at leastpartially closed by a wall which confronts the sound source, while theouter chamber is closed at the top and open at the bottom. Thus thesound path is reversing; its path of travel is angular and hence soundvibration is greatly emphasized in the intermediate passage throughwhich the musical tension strings pass so that the latter are highlyresponsive to the musical vibrations. The general arrangement issomewhat like a horn, but with vastly improved characteristics, with theprovision of one or more vibrational walls near or between which themusical strings are so arranged and in such close proximity as to pickup vibrations with high efliciency. Moreover,

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the instrument may be used as a piano by a reverse action, with thestrings becoming the sound source, and the vibrations being enhanced inthe inner chamber and amplified by the outer one. Finally, the loudspeaker is suitably baffled and cushioned against sound distortingeffects, while the walls such as 23, 24 and 51, 52, 53 re- Verse part ofthe vibration downward to reenforce the volume of vibration. Thus tonalquality and range are greatly improved, with particular reference tocomplementary harmonics. When used as a piano, the tones are carried fora longer period than was heretofore possible with a piano. The stringsand chamber mutually excite each other in either use of the instrument.The hammers or strings or both may be graduated in size or position toobtain musical scales.

I claim:

1. A musical device including a tapered sound conducting conduit open toatmosphere at its large end and having its walls adapted to respond tosound vibrations, a sound source of the diaphragm type located at thesmall end of said conduit and being in communication therewith, stringsfree of the sound source and responsive to sound vibrations, and meansfor mounting the strings so that they lie within the conduit and inclose operative proximity to the walls thereof and in spaced relation tothe central region of the conduit.

2. A musical device including a source of sound, a horn having a sidewall adapted to vibrate in response to sound waves from said source, thelatter being at the small end of the horn, the large end of the hornbeing open to atmosphere, a tubular member within the horn taperingtoward the source of sound and extending approximately to the large endof the horn, the large end of the tubular member having a closure walltherefor and the small end of the member being open and being spacedfrom the source of sound, said horn and said member providingtherebetween a passage which is open at both ends thereof, and musicalstring means mounted in said horn free of the sound source so that partsof said means lie within said passage and parts thereof lie adjacent tothe source of sound outside of said passage but within the horn, saidstring means being closely adjacent to the wall of the horn, and thehorn and the member being spaced from each other and being otherwiseopen and unobstructed so that the parts of the string means adjacent tothe sound source are vibrated directly by waves therefrom and the partsin said passage are vibrated mainly in response to the wall of the horn.

3. A musical device according to claim 2, wherein the walls of saidmember are substantially thicker than those of said horn.

4. A musical device according to claim 2, wherein sound-rebound wallsare located at opposite ends of the horn transversely to the axisthereof and in spaced relation thereto.

5. A musical device including a source of sound, a horn having a sidewall adapted to vibrate in response to sound waves from said source, thelatter being at the small end of the horn, the large end of the hornbeing open to atmosphere, a tubular member within the horn taperingtoward the source of sound and extending approximately to the large endof the horn, the large end of the tubular member having a closure walltherefor and the small end of the member being open and being spacedfrom the source of sound, said horn and said member providingtherebetween a passage which is open at both ends thereof, and means forsupporting said horn, said tubular member and said sound source so thatthey are vibrationally relatively free of direct connection with eachother, with the interior of the horn and the tubular member beingotherwise so free and open as to provide full access of sound waves toall parts of the horn.

6. A musical device according to claim 5 comprising sound-rebound wallslocated at opposite ends of the horn transversely to the axis thereofand in spaced relation thereto.

SAMUEL RUBINSTEIN.

